RUSSIAN REGIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 13

RUSSIAN REGIME

Sir, —In Saturday's Herald . Father Martindale is reported as having said: "If you are rich enough in Russia you can own a private steam yacht. There is no Communism in Russia, no matter what anybody says. It has the class society just as much as anywhere, only different people constitute the classes." This might be taken to imply that the privileged classes are benefiting at the expense of the rest j)f the community, but that is not the opinion of Dr. Sherwood Eddy, who deals with this aspect at. some length imhis latest book. He says, "In the application of the ideal of what we call justice, more than in any country in the world the leaders of the Soviet Union share all they have with the masses, at least, all save power. They do not amass huge fortunes, -nor live in luxury. Instead of special privileges,* which are few, the members of the party are loaded with heavy responsibilities. Their time, their money, their service, even much of their home life, must be sacrificed." He goes on to say: "While engineers, especially foreigners, opera singers and a few writers may make money and enjoy a higher income, the party member must be .limited to the bare essentials of the simple life." •* J. S. Montgomerie.